1. I've reached the point in time in the story of Expo '74 when the railroad tracks, trestles, viaducts, businesses, and other structures in the what would become the exposition's site as well as on Trent Ave. are being demolished and a whole new riverfront is being constructed.
It's astonishing.
2. As I was reading the history of architectural planning for the site and the buildings that would become Expo '74, I had a most pleasant and welcome memory come back to me.
The chief architect for envisioning and planning the transforming of the industrial site into what we know now as Riverfront Park was Thomas Adkison.
Then I remembered.
In either the late 1990s or early 2000s, Thomas Adkison's daughter, Sarah, was a student of mine at Lane Community College. She must have been in her mid to late 40s back then and brought to the classroom kindness, great energy and intelligence, and fascinating stories. She was a 1966 graduate of Ferris High School in Spokane and through a little bit of searching online, I discovered that in 2016 she attended Ferris High School's 50 year reunion and so I saw a couple of pictures of her.
If I had found a way to contact her -- or if I do in the near future -- , I would write her a note reminding her that once she knew I had lived in Spokane and was from North Idaho, she told me about growing up in Spokane and about her father's work. I'd also like to remind her how much I enjoyed working with her in the classroom and running into her on the city bus and, from time to time, on campus.
If any of you who live in Eugene read this and have contact information for Sarah Adkison, I'd appreciate hearing from you.
3. The last thing I did tonight as I crawled under the covers was listen to an episode of This American Life entitled "How to Tell a Dumb American Story".
This episode focuses on a couple in Lake County, Montana on the Flathead Reservation. Their daughter was struck and killed in a vehicular incident on a state highway. The couple, Carissa and Kevin, become frustrated with the lack of urgency on the part of law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office to investigate the incident and bring justice to their deceased daughter, Mika.
So, they take matters into their own hands and begin a campaign to pressure law enforcement to act.
I won't spoil the story by telling how it concludes.
What I will say, though, is that as the episode wrapped up, host Ira Glass gave credit to the reporter who presented the story.
I was thrilled to find out that the reporter was Sierra Crane Murdoch.
When I read all the books on Leah Sottile's reading list, one of those books, a gripping story, was entitled, Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country.
Its author is Sierra Crane Murdoch.
I also learned that Sierra Crane Murdoch has a second book forthcoming that I can preorder entitled, Imaginary Brightness: An Autobiography of American Guilt.
Who knows? Maybe she'll come to Spokane when she goes on tour to promote her new publication.
I know now that she promoted Yellow Bird in Spokane when it was published.
I will do all I can to be at her Spokane presentation, should it happen.
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